1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to The field of event notification. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for notifying a remotely located entity user of an occurrence of an event.
2. Background of Related Art
Use of on-line computer services, such as, by way of example, electronic mail (“e-mail”), travel reservation services, stock trading services, auction services, and the like, have increased dramatically. Fueling this dramatic increase in the usage of on-line computer services is the emergence of the Internet, and more specifically, the World Wide Web (“WWW”). The ease with which a user can locate and utilize the resources on the WWW has enabled the WWW to emerge as a viable medium for a vendor to offer its on-line services. Typically, the vendor maintains a web server or web site, which is a location on the WWW, through which its on-line services may be utilized.
A user uses a computer to connect to the WWW and to navigate and access the vendor's web site. Once connected to the web site, the user utilizes the available on-line services through his or her computer. For example, the user may utilize a particular vendor's e-mail messaging service. The user can then register with, and receive his or her e-mail messages through the e-mail services offered by the particular vendor. Subsequently, e-mail messages addressed to the user will be received at the vendor's web site. The user can then use his or her computer to connect to the vendor's web site and determine if any new messages have arrived.
In many conventional systems, the user needs to be at a computer or a terminal to connect to the web site and utilize the on-line services. For example, the user uses the computer to check for, and access received messages. The connected computer is also used to trigger or activate a feature or function provided by the on-line service. For example, in responding to a received message, the user composes the response message using his or her computer. Thus, the on-line services are generally not accessible beyond the web site and the computers and terminals the user uses to connect to the web site.